Let me in
by ViolaMoon
Summary: Hermione gets tired of waiting for Draco to make the move - she takes the initiative. Dramione - Part of the Houses Competition Round 7


**A/N: Submission for the Houses Competition**

**House: **Ravenclaw

**Year: **7

**Category: **Drabble

**Prompt: **[Song Prompt] Hey Jude by the Beatles

**Word Count: **938

Hermione knew all too well that Draco was watching her He sat in the corner of the Malfoy Manor library, where they were researching ways to deactivate dark artefacts, as part of their collaboration for the Ministry of Magic.

Back when they'd first started working together, she had been surprised by his withdrawn manner. An aftereffect of the war, Hermione supposed. The Malfoy family's reputation had taken a hit; they'd lost business connections, personal relations, and were no longer well respected in the Wizarding Community. That must have greatly affected Draco. She suspected that, despite the charity work he did and the social events he helped his mother plan, he lived a solitary life.

He came with detailed plans on how to destroy the many dangerous artefacts they found and he was meticulous and severe in his work, which surprised her at first as her most forthcoming memories of Draco were of his bullying ways. She was reminded of the fact that Draco had been an excellent student in his time at Hogwarts, and he was her closest academic rival. This had led to lengthy discussions about anything and everything, and when she broke up with Ron, she had learnt how caring he could be.

She had long had feelings for him, and she felt her heart race as he watched her, finding it harder and harder to focus on the book in front of her. Why didn't he act on his rather obvious feelings? Hermione realised that if something was going to happen between the two of them, she would have to be the instigator.

Placing the book she was reading on the table, she looked at the bookshelf next to her and scanned it for a likely target. A book on the top shelf would work. Reaching out and stretching her toes, Hermione reached out and tried to grasp the book, knowing all too well that she couldn't. She heard him come at once - trust a pureblood to be chivalrous. He pressed a hand to her shoulder to stop her and then effortlessly took the book from the shelf.

"Forgot you had a wand?" he asked with a raised eyebrow and just a hint of arrogance.

Hermione took the book from his hand with a coy smile, letting her hand linger on his. "You would be surprised how often I forget."

She heard him chuckle and thought it was a beautiful sound, since it was not often that he even smiled. She threw caution to the wind and pecked him on the cheek with a quick 'Thanks for the help', watching as he turned Gryffindor red.

Hermione wondered whether they would ever take the next step. She felt that it was now or never, she couldn't stand the tension between them much longer. She summoned some of her Gryffindor courage with a deep calming breath.

"Draco… I have feelings for you," She said, wanting to keep her bravery going. "I think you like me too."

She watched as his face betrayed him for a moment, as if he wanted to fall into his feelings for her that she knew he had.

"I.. I can't… I'm not right for you. I'm just a Death Eater who lives a lonely life. I don't deserve you, and I can't give you the life you deserve." He tore her hand away from his, as she saw tears shining in his eyes. Before she could even respond, he had slipped away from her and out of the room.

Hermione stood shell-shocked - she knew he struggled with his new place in society after the war, but to force himself to live a lonely existence seemed excessive.

Where was the self-assured boy she had known at Hogwarts? The boy who took what he wanted and did whatever he pleased?

He was scared, she knew it. She rushed out of the library and looked around; where could he have run off to? She then noticed that the front door was ajar. She ran outside, trying to think of what to say to him, how to convince him that he _did_ deserve her.

Hermione saw him in the rose garden; he sat on a white garden chair and was sobbing, his head in his hands. She said not a word, pulling a chair to sit in front of him.

"You deserve to be happy, Draco. Please, let me in," she said softly, respecting his space but wanting so badly to reach out and comfort him."Let me in, and I will make it all better," she added, as he began to move his hands away from his face to look at her. His stormy grey eyes met hers, and she felt like she could drown in them.

"I know that you struggle with your family's position in this new era, but you don't have to carry all these worries by yourself," she said, reaching out to him now that he looked at her with openness. "Let me in and let me help you ease the burden." She felt him grasp her hand with a light caress of his thumb on her palm.

"You mean that, Granger?" he said, with a shaky voice. "You'd better be careful what you wish for." A smirk reminiscent of the old Draco crossed his face as he pulled her to him. They embraced, and he brought his lips to hers, like a drowning man coming up for air.

"I think I'll begin to make it better very soon," she said with a smirk to rival his, as she dove in lips first. She was going to prove he deserved her.


End file.
